The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-29
THE HOUSE GONE LONG AGO.
A Mistake About the Birthplace OF
Andrew Johnson.

A Mistake About the Birthplace of
Andrew Johnson.
A Raleigh, n. c., dispatch to the New
York Times says: A recent number of
Harper's Weekly contained picture of the
house in which Andrew johnson was born
in Raleigh. No doubt the Harpers were
honest in their belief that it was the verita-
BILE house in which johnson first saw the
light, but their information was incorrect.
He was born in house which has long since
been demolished, and which stood on the lot
now occupied by dry goods store, on Fay
etteville street. After johnson became
President the Federal officers and men sta
toned in Raleigh in 1865 naturally took con-
siderable interest in his early history, and
one day two officers called ON old Mrs. Susan
Stewart and asked her to tell them
what she knew of the early life of the Presi
dent, saying that they had been directed to
her as one who had known him in his youth.
The old lady replied that she had known
Andrew and his parents, and that she had
named him. She said that at the time of
his birth his parents lived on the back part
of her mothers lot, which was on Fayette-
vile street, about where the store now
stands. as stated before; that she (Mrs.
Stewart was gay young woman, and one
night when dressing for ball received
InCS>dkt lIDlil DllJ JDuliSDll dShlIlR utT "
come out and look at her new baby. She
went and found Polly the mother of fine
boy. After admiring the future President
she asked his mother what she had named
him. Polly replied; Miss Susan, as you
made all his little clothes for him / want
you to name him" Miss Susan said:
"Well, Polly, will name him Andrew Nc
Donald"-after the hero of a novel she
was then reading. Jake johnson, Polly's
husband, was sitting by the fire and said:
Miss Susan, don't give him such long
name: | will never recollect il. Call him
plain Andrew" And that is the way he got
his name, according to the venerable lady
Mrs. Stewart further said to the two GU
rious officers: Gentlemen, you are in the
army of that same Andrew johnson; wish
you would tell him that the old woman who
gave him the first rag that ever covered his
nakedness, and who named him, is now tot
tering on the brink Of the grave, and that
she would like TO see her grandson, George
Whiting, who is a Confederate prisoner of
war, once more before she dies" The above
facts were related to your correspondent by
that same George Whiting after his release
from prison on Johnston's Island.
The late Chief Justice Ruffin is authority
for saying that Chief Justice Leonard Hen
derson was the father Of Andrew Johnson
and not United States Senator William H.
Haywood, as was generally believed. Judge
Ruiiin said that this information was inn
parted TO him by Judge Henderson and then
by Polly johnson. At all events that ques-
ton which is said TO tax the powers Of the
wisest child greatly vexed President John
son, because when he came out TO Raleigh
TO be present at the erection of amonument
over Jacob johnson, his mothers husband,
in his speech he said that he had come to the
place OF his birth 10 do honor TO the man
who sis said to be my father" The anti
as 10 the exact location Of the grave and
Col. james Fontleroy Taylor among others
contended that the monument was erected
in the wrong place.